Football skating — Where speed meets precision
Indian players ready for upcoming 15th Football Skating World Cup in Turkey, from November 20-26.
Hyderabad: Football skating is a unique blend of football and roller skating. This exciting sport combines football skills, such as passing, shooting, and goalkeeping, with the agility and balance required for roller skating, creating a dynamic game full of speed and precision.
Telangana has been at the forefront of the growth of the sport in India, thanks to coaches like MA Qadeer, a former football skating player and a dedicated coach with the Sports Authority of Telangana, who hails from Moosarambagh in Hyderabad.
Football skating is governed internationally by the Federation International Football Skating (FIFS) and nationally by the Football Skating Federation of India (FSFI). Teams are composed of both male and female players, with gender representation rules ensuring diversity, as each team must balance its lineup (for example, a team can have 5 men and 5 women or 8 men and 2 women or 8 women and 2 men).
Matches are held across various age categories, including Under 10, Under 14, Under 17 (Juniors), and Above 17 (Seniors). Each match has a specific duration, with senior games lasting 20 minutes per half, with a 5-minute halftime break.
Telangana has the most number of active players and coaches in the sport compared to other parts of the country. Many of the players in India’s football skating teams for the upcoming 15th Football Skating World Cup, to be held in Trabzon, Turkey, from November 20-26, are from Telangana. Both junior and senior Indian teams, coached by Qadeer, will compete against international teams from countries such as France, Brazil, Morocco and more.
Last year, Football Skating Association of Telangana hosted the Football Skating League Season 1 Championship, where 35 teams participated, showcasing a strong interest from school-level players. “The response from schools has been encouraging, and after the World Cup, we plan to organise Season 2 of the Football Skating League,” Qadeer shared.
The training regimen for football skaters is intensive and includes developing essential skills like balancing, zig-zag movements, goalkeeping and more. The Football Skating Association of Telangana also organised a seminar last year with FIFS President Dr. Mehdi Salman Pour, bringing together around 35 coaches to discuss the sport’s future.
However, the sport faces funding challenges. Players and coaches currently bear the expenses and seeking sponsors. Despite the challenges, Qadeer remains optimistic about the sport’s growth. He expresses, “We want to make people aware of this sport across the country and encourage more players to join. Our dream is to see football skating represented in national games, Khelo India competitions, and one day at the Olympics.”
Indian squads for World Cup:
Seniors: Mohammed Abdul Raqeeb Uddin (Telangana), Mohammed Naseeruddin (Andhra Pradesh), Thota Bhargava Rakesh (Telangana), Betwala Mohammed Hamza Shahboddin (Gujarat), Meel Romi (Haryana), Parekh Khushbu Suresh Kumar (Gujarat), Salla Nethra (Telangana);
Juniors: Mohammed Abdul Rehman (Telangana), Mohammed Ali Akber (Telangana), Bhusa Anantha Laxmi Ganga Prasad (Telangana), Aditya Avinash Mogre (Maharashtra), Mithra Aarash (Telangana), Kortalwar Anvi (Telangana), Maha Marium (Telangana), Pusarla Abhijit (Andhra Pradesh), Rohit Tawade (Maharashtra), Vivek Patel (Gujarat).
